Summer camp offerings abound in Northeast Florida. Children can hone their skills or explore new horizons during summer camps. A variety of camps are available including arts camps and workshops, sports camps, theater camps and more. Here is just a small sampling of the many summer camp options on the First Coast.
Summer arts camps and workshops at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach
The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach presents summer arts camps and workshops for young artists of all skill levels. Children ages 4 to 16 are encouraged to express their imagination using quality artist’s materials with guidance from art instructors. Supplies and snack included. Campers must bring a brown bag lunch and “dress for mess.”
To register, visit www.ccpvb.org or call (904)-280-0614 ext 204. Early registration discount ends May 16, 2016. The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach is located at 50 Executive Way, Ponte Vedra Beach.
Summer Arts Camps: ages 4-5
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
June 6-10 – Sea Escape
June 13-17 – Mud Makers & Pottery Painters
June 20-24 – Magic Potions and Robots in Motion
June 27-31 – Bugged Out & Bee-dazzled
July 5-8 – Dance Jam
July 11-15 – Whimsical Wonderland
July 18-22 – Building Outside the Box
July 25-29 – Scribbling Siblings (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Aug. 1-5 – Mixed Media Montage
Summer Arts Camps: ages 6-8
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
June 6-10 – Animation-Claymation Combination
June 13-17 - Mud Makers & Pottery Painters
June 20-24 – Magic Potions and Robots in Motion
June 27-31 – Bugged Out & Bee-dazzled
July 5-8 – Dance Jam
July 5-8 – Clay Days
July 11-15 – Whimsical Wonderland
July 18-22 – Building Outside the Box
July 25-29 – Scribbling Siblings
Aug. 1-5 – Mixed Media Montage
Summer Arts Workshops: ages 9-16
(times and prices vary by workshop)
June 6-10 – Beginning Sewing for Fashion
June 13-17 – Culinary Boot Camp
June 20-24 – Intro to Drawing
June 20-July 1 – Alhambra Theatre Camp
June 27-July 1 – Digital Animation Creation
June 27-July 1 – Bake-Off (held at A. Chef’s Cooking Studio)
July 5-8 – Intro to Painting
July 11-15 – Drawing Comic Characters/ International Cuisine (held at A. Chef’s Cooking Studio)
July 11-22 - Alhambra Theatre Group
July 18-22 – Creative Sculpture
July 25-29 – Intro to Glass
Aug. 1-5 – Digital Media Arts
Aug. 1-5 – Creating on the Potter’s Wheel
Sylvan Learning Center
Sylvan Learning Center is offering educational summer camps for kids featuring robotics, coding, Math Edge and more. Registration is now open; sign up by May 15 and save $25. Sylvan Learning Center Ponte Vedra is located at 2 Fairfield Blvd., Suite 5. For more information, call (904) 280-8410 or visit www.sylvanlearning.com.
Marineland S.E.A. Camp Dolphin Adventure
Marineland’s S.E.A. Camp is a week-long camp for kids ages 7 through 12 and teens ages 13 through 16. The program is filled with science, activities, exploration, beach combing and dolphins. Sessions run Monday through Friday from June through August. Space is limited.
Marineland is located at 9600 Oceanshore Blvd., St. Augustine. For more information, call (904) 471-1111 or visit www.marineland.net.
Surf Into Summer Surf Camp
All children can learn to surf with help from the Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach Surf Camps. Even kids who spent all season indoors will learn to hang 10 with ease. All sessions begin with introductory instruction on general water, ocean safety and surfing etiquette. Most of the time is spent in the water with instructors, learning to surf. The camp is open to kids age 6 and older. Camps run all summer long beginning June 13 and running through Aug. 5. Camps run from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
The price is $210 per camp and includes a money-back guarantee. The instructor to camper ratio is 1 to 3. The camp always has a lifeguard on duty, and instructors are some of the top surfers in North Florida.
The Jacksonville Beach camp is located at Seagate Avenue, across from Fletcher Middle School. The Ponte Vedra camp is located at Mickler’s Landing. All necessary equipment is provided, including both hard boards and soft boards, wetsuits, leashes, wax and more. Instructors and campers will be identified with same color rash guards. Visit www.surfintosummer.com for more information.
Ponte Vedra YMCA Summer Camps
Campers ages 5 through 12 can travel around the world, visiting a different country each week. Summer camp begins May 31 and runs through Aug. 5. Activities range from arts and humanities to math, science and literacy. Camps also include outdoor recreation play, reading activities and weekly field trips.
There are three Ponte Vedra area locations for camps: Ponte Vedra YMCA, 170 Landrum Lane; Ponte Vedra Presbyterian Church, 4510 Palm Valley Road; The Bolles School, 200 ATP Blvd.
Week 1 – South Africa
Week 2 – Australia
Week 3 – France
Week 4 – Greece
Week 5 – India
Week 6 – United States
Week 7 – Egypt
Week 8 – Thailand
Week 9 – Peru
Week 10 – Brazil
Week 11 – South Africa
For more information, call (904) 543-9622 or visit www.firstcoastymca.org/programs/camp/summer-camp.
Apex Theatre Studio camp and music theatre intensives
Camp Apex for ages 10 through 14 begins May 31 and runs through Aug. 5. Themed camps cover an array of stage genres including improv, comedy, Broadway to writing and publishing camps for screenwriting, storytelling, poetry, comic books, graphic novels and cartoons.
Music Theatre Intensives for ages 12 through 21: Camp options include The Boot, a 14-day intensive designed to challenge the intermediate to advanced level artist; or The Standard, a four-week experience for artists in the early stage of their craft.
Class sizes are limited. Apex Theatre is located at 5105 Palm Valley Road, Ponte Vedra Beach. For more information, visit www.apextheatrejax.com.
Bud Beech
Bud Beech Summer Camp has been running for nearly 30 years. A variety of activities are offered, including sports fitness, dance, basketball and more. The camp is open to boys and girls ages 6 through 13 and takes place Monday through Thursday from May 31 – July 30. All activities are indoors at Ponte Vedra High School.
Parent drop off is in the gym after 8:15 a.m. Monday through Thursday for full day and/or morning session campers. Afternoon campers drop off is at 11:45 p.m. Both full day and half-day camp options are available. Full-day camps are offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and half day camps are from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m.
For more information, call (904) 686-4075 or visit www.budbeech.com.
Tommy Hulihan’s Basketball Camp and Sports Camp
Tommy Hulihan’s summertime activities are designed to get campers moving this summer while learning sports and basketball fundamentals. The camps take place at St. Paul’s Gym, located at 212 Fifth St. N., Jacksonville Beach. There are three camp options to choose from:
Summer Sports Camp is open to girls and boys ages 5 through rising sixth graders. Camp runs May 31 – Aug. 5. Campers will participate in team sports and age appropriate activities.
Summer Beaches Basketball League is open to girls and boys ages 3 through rising sixth graders. The deadline to register is May 20. The league runs June 4 – Aug. 6.
Tommy Hulihan’s Basketball Camp is open to girls and boys from third grade through eighth grade. Camps are divided into sessions. The basketball camp runs from June 13-17.
For more information or to register, call (904) 349-2611 or visit www.tommyhulihanbasketball.com.
DramaWorksDramaWorks is an improvisational inclusion program for children through young adults who are on the mild to moderate end of the autism spectrum. Individuals with related disorders such as ADHD and PDD-NOS are also welcome to attend.
DramaWorks uses improvisation to develop social cues awareness, improved social skills, teamwork and trust, self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment, flexible thinking, handling unexpected changes, creativity, friendship, learning to support and be supported by others. Weekly sessions and summer camp programs are available. Summer camp begins May 31. For more information, call (904) 834-2938, visit www.healthyunow.org or email contact@healthyunow.org.
Marine Biology Camp at Whitney Laboratory
The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience will hold a Marine Biology Camp for students entering fifth, sixth and seventh grades in the fall.
There will be two sessions offered: June 20-24 or July 1-15. Camp is Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an early release on Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Campers will spend the week exploring the biological diversity of the Matanzas River Basin and conduct lab experiments.
The camp fee is $375 per week and includes a lab tour, instruction, presentations, field and lab activities, a kayak trip, snacks, drinks and a t-shirt.
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is located at 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine. For more information, contact Brenda Cannaliato at (904) 461-4014 or brenda@whitney.ufl.edu or Angie Golubovich at (904) 461-4015 or angie@whitney.ufl.edu.
Fort Matanzas and Castillo de San Marcos Summer Camps
Get hands-on with history with Fort Matanzas National Monument and Castillo de San Marcos National Monument summer camps.
Hands-on-History & Nature Camp at Fort Matanzas will be held June 6-10. Hands-on-History & Nature Camp at Castillo de San Marcos will be held June 20-24, June 27-July 1 and July 11-15. Camps will take place Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Camps are for children ages 9-11. A variety of topics will be covered including: archeology, Native Americans, nature, Spanish exploration, colonial Florida, and Spanish military and artillery. Students will have the opportunity to work on projects involving pottery, leatherwork, textiles, musket drills and more.
Space is limited to 20 campers per week. Participants will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. To help cover the cost of materials, there is a nonrefundable camp fee of $25. A scholarship program for families with financial hardships is available.
For registration, call Rebecca Busch Tuesday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at (904) 829-6506 ext. 232 to reserve your spot.
Fort Matanzas National Monument is located at 8635 A1A S., St. Augustine. The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is located at 1 S. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine.
For more information, visit the Fort Matanzas National Monument at www.nps.gov/foma/forkids/index.htm or the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument website at
www.nps.gov/casa/forkids/index.htm.
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Junior Camp Counselor summer camp
The GTM Research Reserve Junior Camp Counselor Camp for ages 13-15 will be held June 8-10. For campers to attend this camp, they must have attended an GTM Research Reserve Adventures in the Estuary Summer Camp. Junior Camp Counselors must commit to assist with at least two camp weeks of the younger Adventures in the Estuary summer camp.
This is an overnight camp; The Overnight Camp experience will take place at the Environmental Education Center and utilize the classrooms as dorms. The cost is $275.
The GTM Research Reserve Environmental Education Center, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach.
Coastal Kicks Soccer
Open to boys and girls of all skill levels, Coastal Kicks Soccer 2016 summer camps take place at a number of locations throughout Northeast Florida. Children will learn and develop technical and tactical soccer skills from trained and certified professional soccer coaches and trainers. Choose from morning and overnight camps.
A special “mini-kickers” group for children ages 3 and 4 will be available at select locations. All campers will receive a free soccer ball. For more information, call (904) 240-2353, email info@coastalkicks.com or visit www.coastalkicks.com.
